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Boxwalla Beauty Box Review, April 2016

I’ve mentioned Boxwalla before—I’ve been a subscriber to other “beauty box” brands in the past, but this one really seems to fit my tastes and needs. It’s bi-monthly, and it’s pricier than some others, but the products are unusual and exceptionally good, and they all come from small, independent businesses.

I received my April box a little over a week ago, and I’ve been busily trying the five items inside.

Boxwalla’s beauty theme for April is “FACEts of Spring,” with a focus on natural skincare. Wonderland Organics’ Soothe Serum was the first thing I tried. It’s an oil-based treatment rich in botanical ingredients, with an earthy herbal scent from the lavender oil and sea buckthorn oil. I applied two drops of Soothe Serum to my freshly cleansed face at bedtime, followed it up with an application of my usual nighttime moisturizer, and woke the next morning with my skin feeling softer and smoother than usual. Verdict: thumbs up!

I’d never heard of Wonderland Organics before, so this was a nice introduction. I have heard of Garden of Wisdom, but I find their website a little overwhelming so I’ve never purchased anything from this company. Boxwalla has selected three products from GoW’s extensive line of finished products: an exfoliating gel mask, a serum, and a lip balm.

The Blue Mallow Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which sounded like an ideal treatment for my over-40 face, turned out to be another hit with me. It’s water-based and it absorbs completely into my skin within seconds, delivering all its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation goodness deep down.

GoW’s Pineapple-Red Wine Enzyme Gel is the only item I haven’t tried yet, and I may not be able to, simply because I know from past experience that my face is very reactive to exfoliating fruit acids. However, I may try it elsewhere, like my decolletage.

Moving onward! The Healing Lip Balm includes nourishing oils like almond, coconut, and avocado, plus ceramides and peptides. It’s really like skincare for the lips, and it works well as a bedtime treatment or as a non-sticky, non-slippery base layer under lipstick or gloss.

Verdict: two thumbs up, plus an “it’s not you, it’s me” for the enzyme mask.

Speaking of lipstick, here’s a beauty from Axiology, another brand that’s new to me. The gold-tone case pops open to reveal a “green” formula that’s rich in grapeseed oil, candelilla wax, coconut oil, castor seed oil, and more, plus mineral pigments for color. My shade is Noble, which looks pinkish in the tube (and in my photo!) but turns much warmer on my skin. I’d describe Noble a peachy “rusted rose” on my lips. It’s well pigmented and it doesn’t cake or migrate. I’ve been dealing with chapped lips lately, but this Axiology lippie seems to help, rather than accentuate, that problem. Verdict: thumbs up!

(Bonus: Axiology’s cool triangular boxes are sourced from Bali, Indonesia, where they’re made at a woman-run recycled paper boutique.)

This was my third beauty box from Boxwalla, and once again, I’m completely pleased. Feel free to leave any questions in the “comments” section below. And if you’re curious about Boxwalla, check out their website here.